SPARK is an ongoing conversation about technology and culture and helps you navigate your digital life by connecting you to fresh ideas in surprising ways. We’re all about tech, trends, and fresh ideas. And we especially like robots.
Broadcast Times
You can listen to Spark anytime via podcast.
But if you’d prefer to listen over-the-air, here’s where and when you’ll find the show. Spark’s page on PublicRadioFan.com has links to streaming audio in every Canadian time zone.
- Saturdays on Sirius Satellite Radio 159 at 6:00 ET and 20:00 ET
- Sunday afternoons on CBC Radio One at 1:05/1:35 NT (4:05 PT)
- Wednesday afternoons on CBC Radio One at 2:05/2:35 NT
- Wednesdays on Sirius Satellite Radio 159 at 20:00 ET
About the Spark Team
Spark is produced in Toronto by Michelle Parise, Jean Kim, Anshuman Iddamsetty and Nora Young (Nora’s so rad, she gets her own page).
Michelle Parise
Michelle Parise began working at CBC when she was 21. She’s produced in news, current affairs, radio drama, on TV’s Jonovision and at the helm of Radio 2 Drive. Once, while working backstage on a CBC production of the Juno Awards, Michelle inadvertently threw Chantal Kreviazuk off a golf cart. A highlight of her years here was producing Simply Seán – a music show with the awesome Seán Cullen. A rival highlight has been producing Spark – where there are plenty of laughs, lots of learning, and no golf carts. Michelle has a precocious 5 year old daughter who says the craziest things which you can find on Twitter @whatlolasaid.
Jean Kim
Jean loves listening to the radio but didn’t think about actually making it until stumbling across this article in the Atlantic. She then bought a mini-disc recorder, took a deep breath and quit her job. She started at CBC with the late, great Outfront, a show that helped Canadians tell their stories on the radio. She’s also worked at The Sunday Edition, Metro Morning, White Coat, Black Art and now enjoys getting down with the jimmy-jazz at Spark. She’s not much of a tweeter, but you can find her at Pinterest pinning her love for all things awesome: food, books, cool design, and the Goz.
Anshuman Iddamsetty
Anshuman Iddamsetty is a producer and audio engineer with arms like the chains that anchor battleships*. He began in dead media, but crossed the floor to public broadcasting after CBC Radio’s Peter Gzowski internship – an experience that detonated any interest in newsprint. Since then, he’s chased stories for CBC Newfoundland, blogged at CBC Books, and curated the sound of national shows like GO! and Know Your Rights.
Outside of work, Anshuman spins records at his monthly DJ night and exhales 140 characters on twitter.
*Arms may vary upon closer inspection.
re: Ageism Design: I am not a senior, I am only 31. But I have Fibromyalgia and find i feel like a 95 yr old sometimes. I recently found at Ardene's *(store that sells costume jewelery for tweens and teens mostly that they have long wrist bands with thump holes. These are perfect for keeping my wrists warm and therefore reducing pain allowing me to function more normally. I don't know what their original purpose or style was but i love that i can get inexpensive stylish accessories that make my life more enjoyable. It is better than spending lots of money on medical wrist guards that restrict motion or sewing something of my own that looks horrendous and often prompts questions or concerns as to whether or not i had broken my wrist.
heard from friend in B.C. that not drinking diet soft drinks helps lesson Fibromyalgia. Have you heard this before?
that's such a great story! nice when a "fashion accessory" can help reduce pain instead of just looking cute.
have not heard that one before.it makes sense though. reducing refined sugars and processed foods has made a huge impact in my life. as has Magnesium with Malic Acid at night along with calcium
C Patterson, how this long wrist bands with thump holes looks and how big they are? I am looking for something like this…
kind of bloop
wow
I get it ok but that hurt my soul immediately
ouch
please stop now
ron pelto
Was listening to your show to-day (Dec. 20) when I heard one of the people you
spoke to refer to Linux as "Ubuntu". As a long time Linux user who does not use
"Ubuntu" – a particular brand of Linux, I was annoyed. While Ubuntu
may be currently the most popular version of Linux it is far from the only one. I have
been using Linux for 10 years now and as my sole OS since 2003. I would like to
see Linux more popular than it is and only getting paranthetic mention on your show. Perhaps, you could devote a segment of your show to Linux and the people
who use it. We are not all zealots and/or gearheads.
Hello, Bernie. Dan Misener here. I wrote and produced the piece you heard that mentioned Ubuntu.
The reference to Ubuntu you heard was with regards to the software program Simplify Media, which runs on Ubuntu, but not all flavours of Linux. In fact, on its download page, Simplify Media explicitly says it works on Windows, Mac, and Ubuntu.
I was not suggesting that "Ubuntu" and "Linux" are the same thing. I am well aware that there are several flavours of Linux. I was simply trying to be as accurate as possible with regards to the system requirements for the software in question.
Sorry that you found this annoying. Hope this clarifies why you heard what you heard on the radio.
Ear Bud Etiquette – I follow three levels of etiquette when wearing my buds while I encounter someone: (1) Momentary greeting – leave them in. (2) Quick exchange like answering a question or two – remove one bud and hold in hand. (3) Extended conversation – remove both buds and put away in pocket.
I equate this to how we normally react when we encounter someone when we walk past them without headphones. (1) Return the greeting, but keep on walking. (2) Stop momentarily to respond, but do not turn towards them to engage and then continue walking. (3) Stop, turn towards them and engage in conversation.
I cringe every time I hear the meaningless jargon "Web 2.0." So many people are trying so hard to make this phrase into something, but what does that mean when these people are either trying to sell you something or ignorant? I've got news for you: this "communication" and "interactivity" has always been part of the internet and specifically the web. It's just that it hasn't been slapping everyone in the face like it does now. Using "Web 2.0" is like saying "Car 2.0" just because it has GPS built-in it.. meanwhile, the guy in the car had a map or a hand-held GPS unit in his pocket.
Let's stop concentrated on jargon and look at the real, original trends out there.
I cringe every time I hear the meaningless jargon "Web 2.0." So many people are trying so hard to make this phrase into something, but what does that mean when these people are either trying to sell you something or ignorant? I've got news for you: this "communication" and "interactivity" has always been part of the internet and specifically the web. It's just that it hasn't been slapping everyone in the face like it does now. Using "Web 2.0" is like saying "Car 2.0" just because it has GPS built-in it.. meanwhile, the guy in the car had a map or a hand-held GPS unit in his pocket.
Just heard the piece on open science notebooks. Are you kidding? It may be very useful for science that uses the general public to do a lot of the grunt work but it will fail dismally with original research data/results. Scientists are like business people, they belong to one of the most competitive and darwinistic field of employment. The open notebook idea is new, only time will tell whether scientists adopt it, it would take a real change in attitude among scientists to adopt this new idea – I doubt it will work beyond the few promoting it for their own gain.
Finally, I found the information I was looking for. I have been doing research on this subject, and for four days I keep entering websites that are supposed to have what I am looking for, only to be disappointed with the lack of what I wanted. I wish I could have located your website sooner! I had about 40% of what I needed and your web-site has that, and the rest of what I needed to complete my research. Thank you and I will report back on how it goes!
A remarkable program! Wed Oct 25th. As for computer students… and other career areas one needs to have
a knowledge of an area in which to practise your skills. Much of what was computer science is being called
software engineering. I would like to see coverage of many features of the Canadian academic landscape.
Why no apprentices? Why succumb to the pressure for immediate economic impact? Some of today's most
important activities are possible only because of fundamental discoveries made decades ago. Even the time it takes to recognize the existence of a problem (ozone hole for instance) may be decades longer than a politician's lifetime.
Just heard the piece on open science notebooks. I think the previous poster specified Diet soft drinks for a reason.Und aber ganz ehrlich ist doch interessant wie noch nie.
I'm sure you hear this often, but thanks for the podcasts.
I love the show. On the not so common front I listen to your podcasts on my playbook.
My favorite podcast by far.
Hey, thank you so much for stopping by to say that. Very nice to hear!